When injuries occur, the wound must be covered as soon as possible to prevent bacteria from entering our body and causing further harm through infection. One of the most troublesome issues in dealing with injuries is the possibility of an infection or secondary infection. Infections that are caused by bacteria entering the wound at any time after the initial injuring invent are identified as secondary infections. Even if the original injury already caused an infection, harm caused by secondary infections can be avoided through proper cleaning and rapid application of bandages to cover the wound. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), bandages provide not only a moist environment to promote skin cell recovery but also serve to reduce instances of infection by outside bacteria.
Bandages are the most widely used medical items for covering wounds such as punctures, scrapes, scratches, or cuts in order to prevent infection by outside bacteria. Of course, if the bandages themselves contain bacteria, the risk of a secondary infection is increased. For example, if the person handling the bandage introduces bacteria to the bandage before application to the wound, the chances of secondary infection is also increased. Traditional bandages include packaging requiring extensive manipulation, using two hands, to remove before the bandage can be applied.